Weight loss and breastfeeding

mwsolis · November 2014

Ok thought this might be a good time to talk about this topic since it's the holiday weekend most people are eating lots of good food. We are having 2 thanksgiving dinners- one last night and one tonight!

What's been your experience?

I've been EBF and also pumping 20 oz while at work every day and the last 8 weeks I have lost zero of the last 10 pounds I need to lose but at the same time I eat more than I've ever eaten in my life and not gained a pound. I can eat way more than DH and it's almost embarrassing. I probably have about 600-800 calories more than I used to. If I stop eating like this I'm sure the weight would come off but I'm worried will the milk supply go down?

jamjoyful · November 2014

I think it is trial and error to find out what works for you. When I start gaining weight I cut 100-200 calories out of my daily intake. If I notice that my milk supply drops I can usually add in a snack around 100 calories and it helps. I have been really busy this week and forgot to eat a few times. It resulted in a significant drop. Nothing horrible but she was having to eat off both breasts to fill up. Just experiment a little to find out what works best for you.

belle785 · November 2014

You could possibly lose some of your supply but it may not affect it at all. With DS1 I was dairy free and I know I didn't eat a lot of calories but had plenty milk. This time I am just eating clean, staying at 1700 calories a day, exercising 5 days a week and have not lost my supply either. Maybe track what you are eating on my fitness pal and play with your calories each day to see what happens. If you pump a few ounces less, eat more that day and see what happens the next with your milk. It's all trial and error. I am about 3 lbs away from goal weight by tracking calories.

NLewis1 · November 2014

Are you pumping 20 oz in 9 hours? 8 hours? Because if so that's an awesome supply. I think this is kinda one of those things that just depends on each persons body. Maybe start by cutting 100 calories a day for a week and see how it goes? Some women find their supply is very tied to diet, others it doesn't matter how much they eat, some find its really tied to water intake. For me, my supply is very tied to water intake!

SoSayWeAll · November 2014

I am about 13 lbs lighter than prepregnancy, but I started out overweight. It's definitely part of what keeps me going pumping. I have about 20-25 more lbs that I want to lose. I don't eat much at work but I do on days off. It seems to me based on anectodal evidence that most people who are close to a healthy weight don't lose much during BF.
ETA: I have noticed I produce more when I eat more but have not actually counted calories.

poofwok · November 2014

weeklyplanner said:
I notice water intake is directly related to my supply.

Thats exactly how it was for me when I was EBF.

becominggold · November 2014

I am also very sensitive to water intake. I have cleaned up my diet a lot the last couple weeks and have finally dropped a few more lbs. We have also hit three months now and am hoping that more weight loss will kick in. I am struggling though because more hunger has also kicked in...as in super nausea if I go more than a couple hrs without eating.

tamarar5 · November 2014

I don't lose any weight bfing. I also don't get the benefit of no period while bfing.

So I'm a milk-leaking, sour smelling, hormonal, fat, bleeding bitch every month. I'm screwed.

herecomesthesun · November 2014

jillielizabeth said:
I've read that the big weight loss period of breast feeding is between 3 and 6 months. Thinking back to DD, that's exactly when weight started to fly off. For this reason I was especially excited last weekend when DS hit 3 months.

This. I have about 5lbs to go for pp weight but wouldn't mind losing a few more to get back to pre-marriage weight!

lynds002 · November 2014

becominggold said:
I am also very sensitive to water intake. I have cleaned up my diet a lot the last couple weeks and have finally dropped a few more lbs. We have also hit three months now and am hoping that more weight loss will kick in. I am struggling though because more hunger has also kicked in...as in super nausea if I go more than a couple hrs without eating.

Is this why I'm nauseous all the time? It's really awful, so bad I checked- not pregnant.

rstarrlemaitre · November 2014

I didn't realize how much weight I'd lost until doc appt. last week - I'm down to 106, 6 pounds below my pre-preg weight. Was surprised because I eat 2500 calories a day (I work out 5 days a week, so added in plenty of extra, or so I thought). My plan is to increase by 100 to 200 calories a day, and since PPs mentioned extra water, I'll be doing that too! Lately it does feel like my supply is dipping in the afternoons, although still strong overnight/morning.

ETA: spelling grr

becominggold · November 2014

My nausea is like a low blood sugar nausea that goes away when I eat.

jenniferurs · November 2014

coffee&wine said:

jillielizabeth said:
I've read that the big weight loss period of breast feeding is between 3 and 6 months. Thinking back to DD, that's exactly when weight started to fly off. For this reason I was especially excited last weekend when DS hit 3 months.
I so much hope this is true! I actually gained some weight between 6-12 weeks - ugh! I've been really hungry lately too. I guess I need to make better choices.

I've gained some weight back too. 3 weeks pp, I was 5 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but now I'm back up to 7-10, depending on the day.

chase16 · November 2014

Kandreas1 said:
My sister always says " I wish I was as skinny as I was when I thought I was fat". This me exactly. I want my wedding weight back.

Haha this is me, looking at my pre-preg pics. I tried MFP and my supply dropped pretty significantly.. So no dieting for me. I *try* to make healthy choices, and I work out. I've been stuck at about 165#, which is about 15-17 from my goal weight.. So I'm hoping that 3-6 month weight loss is really a thing. I just keep telling myself that for now, all that matters is that I'm feeding my baby and she's gaining weight. When she's done BFing, that's when I'll really start to work on my weight, if it's not gone by them. I have to tell myself this multiple times daily tho.. Generally when I look in a mirror or put pants on.

Daisylola11 · November 2014

I'm in the same boat, I don't want to diet since I know I need the extra calories. And I've definitely noticed my supply is affected by water intake. I'm really considering adding shakes for when I'm hungry but don't want to cook and/or make an unhealthy food choice.
I just saw some pics from yesterday and I got a little sad, I wasn't happy with how I looked and really hoping the weight will start coming off a bit now that we're almost at 4 months EBF.

Sorry for the rant...

herecomesthesun · November 2014

I just try to make good choices and eat only when hungry- not just because it's time to eat. I also push water intake. I have to have at least 2-3 liters a day or I feel parched during/after feedings. I think it also has helped me to eat less. Some thirst masquerades as hunger.

aly&sam · December 2014

Unfortunately, my supply is tied in to both eating and drinking:/ I can drink tons of fluids but if I don't eat my supply gets really low and vice versa. It sucks. I have to snack after every feeding. I'm still about 20lbs from prepregnancy weight and 30lbs from my goal. I'm also not excersing like I want, but like pp said, I'll worry about my weight when LO starts weaning

Weight loss and breastfeeding

Re: Weight loss and breastfeeding

Mrs. H

Crohn's Dx: August 2008

Endometriosis Dx: May 2010

Married: 05/19/2012

TTC #1: June 2013

BFP: December 2013

DS: Born 08/29/2014

TTC #2: July 2015

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